Elevator door operating system



ug- 1933- c. E. ELLIS, JR 1,920,359

ELEVATOR noon OPERATING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 50, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l WITNESSES: I INVENTOR Glades E. Ellis Jr: 75% A72, BY I Aug. 1, 1933. c, E, ELLIS, JR

ELEVATOR DOOR OPERATING SYSTEM Filed Sept.

30,1932 2 SheetsSheet 2 INVENTOR Cfiar/es E. 51115, Jr:

WITNESSES:

Patented Aug. 1 1933 warren srrirss ELEVATOR DUOR OPERATING SYSTEMI Charles E, Ellis, .l'r., Mahwah, N. 'J., assignor to Westinghouse Electric Elevator Company,

Chicago, Kilt, a Corporation of Illinois Application September 30, 1932 Serial No. 635,520

8 Claims.

My invention relates to elevator door operati g systems and more particularly 'uQ door operc g systems for plural elevators in which two or more cars are operated independently of each other in the same hatchway.

One object of my invention'is to provide for electrically inte locking hatchway doors of a plural-car elevator system in such manner that the opening of a hatchway door when a car stops in front of will prevent operation of that car until that door is reclosed but will not prevent operation of such other cars as may be disposed in the hatchway.

Another obcct of my invention is to provide for electrically interlocking the hatchway doors of a plural-car elevator in such manner that if one or" the hatchway doors opens accidentally when no car is making stop in front of it, none or" the cars will be capable of operation until the door is reclosed.

For an understanding of my invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, in which V Figure l is a diagrammatic representation of a plural-car elevator system embodying my invention, and

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a plural-car elevator system embodying a modified form of my invention.

In Fig. l I have represented two elevator cars 1 and 2 disposed for operation in a single hatch-- way (not shown). Although plural elevators are essentially constructed for serving many floors in very tall buildings and may includernore than two cars, l have, for the sake of simplicity, illustrated only two cars as serving only four hatchway floors 3, 4, 5 and 6. I

A hoisting drum D1 operated by a motor M1 is provided for operating the car 1 and a hoisting drum D2 operated by a driving motor M2 is provided for operating the car 2.

The cars may be suspended from the hoisting drums D1 and D2 by a plurality of cables Ca and Ca for independent operation in the hatchway in any suitable manner such, for instance, as that disclosed in the copending application of Henry D. James, Serial No. 255,049, filed February 17, 1928, and assigned to the Westinghouse Electric 8; Manufacturing Company. A brake B1 is provided for controlling the operation of the hoisting drum D1 and a brake B2 is provided for controlling the operation oi the hoisting drum D2.

The hatchway floors are provided with hatchr5 way doors '7, 8, 9 and 10, each of which is disposed to slide sideways in opening or closing, and

prise a pair of links 11 and 12 joined at their inner venting operation of the car 2 when any door is each or" which may be operated by any suitable door operating mechanism such as the hand operated toggle levers shown in the drawing.

The operating toggle levers for the door 9 comends a pivoted connection 13 and respectively I connected at their outer ends by a pivot pin 14 to the door and by a pivot pin 15 to the wall of the hatchway (not shown). A handle 16 is provided for opening-the levers. In opening the door, the handle 16 is moved to the right thereby breaking the toggle; levers 11 and 12 from their straight linewposition and causing the door to slide towards the right to its open position. When it is desired to close the door, the handle 16 is moved downwardly to move the toggle levers to their straight line position and thereby move the door to its closed position. The toggle lever operators for the other doors are similar to that described for they door 9.

In order to prevent operation of the cars when a door is open, an interlock switch for each car is connected to the door operating mechanism at each hatchway opening. The interlock switches 17 and 18 for the door 9 are shown as operated O by a shaft 19 which is pivotally connected to anextended portion 20 of the toggle lever 12. With this construction, when the door is opened, the end 20 of the lever 12 moves downwardly thereby pulling downwardly on the shaft 19 and movingthe switches 1'7 and 18 to open position. Similar interlock switches are associated with each of the other doors and connected for operation by the door operating mechanism thereof. In the upper portion of the drawing are shown two relays 23 and 24. The relay 23 is controlled by the interlocking switch 1'7 and also by the lower interlock switch at each door. When the relay 23 is energized, it closes a circuit to the m0- tor M2 for operating car 2. When the switch 17 or the lower switch of any one of the doors is open, the relay 23 is deenergiaed thereby opening the control circuitto the motor M2 and prewhile the other car is making a stop or standing at aiioor, each of the interlock switches has associated with it a shunting switch. The shunting switches disposed to be closed by car 2 when that car is standing at a floor so as to permit the operation of car 1, are in .icated as 27, and 29. The shunting switches disposed to be closed when car 1 is standing at a floor to permit the operation of car 2 during that period, are designated as 39-, 31, 32 and 33.

Each of the shunting switches 30, 31, 32 and 33 to be operated by car 1 is mounted on an armature at the corresponding hatchway opening in position to be actuated to a closed position by a magnet IR mounted on the top of the can.v

The magnet IR is provided with a coil. 34 which is connected to be energized through the deenergization of a relay 36. The winding of the magnet, 36 is so interconnected. with the elevator control system (not shown) that the magnet will beenergized as the car reduces its speed and approaches a floor for a landing. This energizes the magnet coil to operate the particular armature-operated shunting switch at the door where the car is to stop and will, preferably, occur only when the car has stopped.

The shunting switches 25, 27, 23 and 29 to be operated by the car 2 are mounted upon armatures disposed at the hatchway doors in position to be operated by a magnet EH2 mounted on top of the'car 2 in position to attract the armatures of the shunting switches when the car stops at the floors. The magnet IE2 is provided with an energizing coil 37 which is connected to and operated by a relay 38. The relay 38 is similar to the relay 36 and its coil. is interconnected with the control system for the car 2 in such manner that the relay will be deenergized when the car makes a stop, thereby effecting energizationof the magnet 1122 to close shunting switch associated with the hatchway door at which car 2 stops. 1

The operation of the interlocking system is as follows: Let it be assumed that car 1 is standing at floor landing 6 with the hatchway door 10 open;

that car 2 is standing at the floor landing 3 with the door 7 open, and that car 2 isto be moved upwardly to the floor landing 4. Car, 2 cannot move until the door 7 at the landing is closed, for the reason that the interlock switch 4d and the shuntmotor for car 2.

In preparing to move car 2 to floor 4, the handle 3 of the door operating mechanism for the door 7 is pressed downwardly to move the toggle levers 44 and 45 to their straight linepositionthus closing the door '7. The movement of the lever 45 causes its end portion 46 to move upwardly thereby closing the interlock switches'40 and 41.

The closing of the switch 40 completes a circuit for energizing the interlocking relay 23 to permit he starting of the car. This circuit extends froin the supply conductor L1 through conductor 47, the coil of relay 23, conductor 48, one side of switch 49, conductor 50, the contact members of shunt switch 33, conductor 51, the other side of switch 49, conductor 52, the contact bers of switch 17, conductor 53, the contact members of switch 54, conductor 55, the contact members of switch 40 (now closed by the closing of the door 7) and conductor 56 to supply conductor L2;

T..e energization of relay 23 closes its contact membersthereby completing a circuit permitting the operation of the motor M2 to move the car 2 upwardly. This circuit extends frornsupply conductor L1 through conductor57, theniotor M2, conductor. 58, the coil of the brake B2, conductor 59, the contact members of relay 23 and conductor 60 to a control circuit represented by 61.

Upon operation of the control circuit (not shown) for car 2 to move the car upwardly and stop it at the second floor, the relay 38 is energized through a circuit extending from the supply conductor Ll through conductor 62 and the coil of relay 38 to the control system designated as 63. The energization of the relay 38 opens its contact members and thereby opens the circuit for the coil of the magnet IE2 on the car 2. The deenergization of magnet 1R2 releases thearmature of the shunting switch 26 at the floor landing 3 thereby restoring the interlock switch 40 to effective condition.

As the car moves to its stop at floor landing 4, its control circuit is operated to decelerate the car and bring it to a stop, consequently, the relay 38 is deenergized and its contact members close to complete a circuit for energizing the magnet 1R2 on the car 2 to attract the armature of shunting switch 27 and close that switch at floor 4. This circuit extends from supply conductor L1 through conductor 64, the coil 37 of magnet T32, conductor 65, the contact members of relay '38 and conductor 66 to supply conductor L2. The attraction of the shunting switch 27 by the magnet 1R2 causes the contact members of that shunting switch to provide a shunt circuit around the interlocking switch 54 at floor 4.

After the car 2 stops at the'floor landing 4, the handle 67 of the door operating mechanism of that floor is moved downwardly thereby breaking the toggle levers 68 and 69 from their straight line position to effect the opening of the door 8. As the central portion of the lever 69 moves upwardly, its right-hand end portion 70 moves downwardly thereby opening the interlock switches 54 and 71 to prevent operation of the cars while door 8 remains open. However, as previously described, the shunt switch 27 has been closed by the operation of the magnet IE2 and thereby provides a' shunt circuit around the interlock switch 71 to permit the car 1 to operate when the door at the door landing at which car 1 is standing is closed. Assuming now that" car 1 is to be moved from. floor-landing 6 to floor landing 5, consequently the door 10 is closed, thereby closing the interlock switches 49 and 72 in a manner similar to the closing of the interlock switches associated with the door 18. The closing of the interlock switch- 72 permits operation of the car 1 by energizing the interlocking relay 24 by a circuit extending froinsupply conductor L1 through conductor 73, the coil of relay 24, conductor 74, the contact members of switch 72, conductor 75, the contact members of switch 18, conductor 76, the contact members of the right-hand side of interlock the motor Ml may be energized to release the car and move it downwardly. This circuit extends from supply conductor L1 through conductors 57 and 81', the motor M1, conductor 82, the coil of brake B1, conductor 83, the contact members of relay 24, and conductor 8 1 to the control circuit designated as 85. The energirzation oi the brake B1 releases the brake and permits movement of the car. The energization of the motor M1 moves the car until it is stopped by operation of the control system (not shown).

Inasmuch as the relay 36 is interconnected with the control system for car 1, the relay is energized when the car is being operated from one floor to another by a circuit extending from supply conductor L1 through conductor 86, the coil of relay 35 and conductor 87 to the control system designated as 88. The energization of relay 35 opens its contact members and thereby deenergizes the magnet IR on car 1 to prevent it from eiiecting operation of any shunt switch until car 1 is stopped at a landing.

Assuming now that car 1 is brought to a stop at fioorlanding 5 then the relay 36 is deenergized by reason of its interconnection with the car control circuit and closes its contact members to energize magnet IE on car 1 by a circuit extending from supply conductor L1 through conductor 90, contact members of relay 36, conductor 91, the coil 34 of magnet 11% and conductor 92 to the supply conductor L2.

The energization of the magnet IR as the car stops at the floor landing 5, closes the contact members of shunt switch 32 thereby completing a shunt circuit around interlock switch 17.

After car 1 stops, the door 9 is opened, thereby opening the interlocking switches 12 and 18 to prevent operation of the cars while door 9 is open. However, inasmuch as the shunt switch 32 is closed, the car 2 may be operated independently of car 1 (provided the door at the floor landing where the car 2 is standing is closed) by reason of the fact that the interlocking relay 23 is energized to permit the circuit to the motor M2 and the brake B2 to be completed. The ene izing circuit for the interlock relay 23 extends from supply conductor L1 through conductor the coil of relay 23, conductor 412, the contact members of switch 49, conductor 52, one side 01 switch 17, conductor 93, the contact members of shunt switch 32, conductor 94, the other side of switch 17, conductor 53, the contact members of switch 54, of switch 40 and conductor switch 56 to supply conductor L2. The energization of relay 23 closes its contact members and thereby permits car 2 to be moved downwardly from the floor landing 4 whenever desired.

Referring now to Fig. 2, in the modified form of my invention illustrated therein, the shunt circuits around the interlock switches at the doors are controlled by contact segments and brushes on the floor selectors of the cars instead of by the magnets IR and IE2 on the cars. As shown on Fig. 2, the hoisting drum D1 of car 1 is provided with a winding spool 150 to which is secured one end of a cable 101, the other end of which passes over a pair of pulleys 102 and 103 to a brush 104 disposed between two vertical rows of contact segments 105 on the floor selector PS1 for car 1. When the car moves upwardly and downwardly, the brush 104 moves upwardly and downwardly between the rows of contact segments and connects them in acordance with the position of the car at the floors so that with car 1 at any floor, the shunt circuit corresponding to that floor for car 2, is completed.

In a similar manner, the hoisting drum D2 conductor 55, the contact members for car 2 is connected by a cable 108 with a brush 109 disposed between two rows of contact segments 110 on the floor selector PS2 for car 2. The brush 109 is moved upwardly and downwardly between the rows of'contact segrnentsllO in accordance with the movement of the car, thereby coinpleting the shunt circuit for car 2 at the floor corresponding to the position of car 1.

An assumed operation for the system shown in Fig. 2 is as follows:

Assuming that car 1 is at the uppermost floor, with. door 10 open; that the door '2 at the lowermost floor isclosed and that car 2 is ready to start upwardly, then the brush 104 of car 1 will connect the contact segments 112 and 113 on the floor selector F81 for energizing the interlock relay 23 to prepare a circuit for he operation of car 2. The circuit for relay 23 extends from supply conductor L3 through conductor 115, the coil of relay 23, conductors 116 and 117, contact segment 112, brush erating the hoisting motor D2 of car 2, as shown in Fig. 1.

Assuming now thatcar 2 stops atthe second floor, the door 8 thereat is opened, the door 10 at the top floor is closed and car i prepares to des-cend, then the opening of the contact members on interlockswitch 54 for door 8 opens the circuit for the interlock relay 2 1 of car 1. However, the relay is not deenergized, the brush 109 has moved upwardly to the contact segments 122 and 123 under the operation of car 2 and has closed the shunt circuit for energizing the relay 24 to permit the operation of car 1. The circuit for relay 2% thus completed extends from supply conductor L3 through conductor 12 1, coil of relay 2%, conductor 125, the contact inernbers of interlock switch 49, conductors 126 and 127, the contact members of interlock switch 1'], conductors 12S and 129, the contact segment 122, brush 1G9, contact 123, conductor .130, the contact segments of interlock switch 10 and conductor 131 to supply conductor L4, th :eby maintaining the interlock relay 24 in its energized condition wherein its contact members connect the conductors 83 and 84 for operating the hoisting drum D1, as shown in Fig. 1.

Obviously, if a door is opened while the cars are running, the interlock switches at that door will be opened and the interlocking relays 23 and 24 will be deenergized, as shown in both Fig. 1

and Fig. 2, thereby opening the motor control circuits and stopping the cars.

By the assumed operation of the carsand the interlock switches in either Fig. 1 or Fig. 2, it is seen that I have provided a door operating system which will prevent any unsafe operation of the cars in a plural elevator while any one oi the doors is open but which will not prevent the independent operation of the cars under safe conditions.

Although I have illustrated and described only two specific embodiments of my invention, I desire it to be understood that the system may be changed and modified in many ways without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an elevator system having a plurality of l, (in

"104, con act segment 113, conductors 118 119, l

cars operable past a plurality of doors in a hatchway, means associated with each door and responsive to an open position thereof for preventing operation of any car, and means operably responsive to the stopping of a car at a door for rendering ineffective the preventing means associated with that door for the other cars.

2. In an elevator system having a plurality of Cars operable past a plurality of doors in a hatchway, means associated with each door and responsive to an open position thereof for preventing operation of any car, and means operably responsive to the presence of a car at a door for rendering ineiiective the preventing means associated with that door for the other cars.

3. In an elevator system having a plurality of cars operable past a plurality of doors in a hatchway, individual means for moving said cars;

means associated with each door and responsive to an open position thereof for preventing operation of the moving means for any car when a door is open, and means operably responsive to the stopping'of a car at a door for rendering ineffective the preventing means associated with that door for the other cars.

i. In an elevator system having a pair of cars operable past a plurality of doors in a hatchway, individual electric motors for moving the cars, circuits for operating said motors, means associated with each door and operably responsive to an open position thereof for disabling said motor operating circuits when a door is open, and means operably responsive to the stopping of a car at a door for rendering ineffective the circuit opening means for the other car.

5. In an elevator system having a pair of cars operable past a plurality of doors in a hatchway, individual motors for moving thecars, a circuit for each motor, an electromagnetic switch associated with each motor and disposed when deenergized to disable the circuit for that motor, a circuit for each electromagnetic switch, means associated with each door and responsive to an open position thereof for opening the electromagnetic switch circuits and thereby disabling the motor circuits when a door is open, and means cperably responsive to the stopping of a car at a door for completing a shunt circuit for energizing the electromagnetic switch to restore the motor circuit for the other car to permit said other car to operate while said first car is stopping at the door. I

6. In an elevator system having a pair of cars operable past a plurality of doors in a hatchway, individual motors for moving the cars, a circuit for each motor, an electromagnetic switch associated with each motor for controlling the operation of that motor, a circuit for eachof said electromagnetic switches, means associated with each door and responsive to an open position thereof for controlling the circuits of the electroina'gnetic switches to disable the car motor circuits While a door is open, and means operably responsive to the stopping of a car at a door for rendering the electromagnetic switch incfiec tive to disable the motor circuit for the other car while said first car is making said stop. 1

7. In an elevator system having a pair of cars operable past a plurality of doors in a hatchway, means associated with each door and responsive 1 to an open position thereof for preventing operation of either car when a door is open, an electromagnetic means disposed on each car, and means operably responsive to the stopping of a car at a door for energizing the electromagnetic means on that car to render ineffective the preventing means associated with that door for the other car.

8. In an elevator system having a pair of cars operable past a plurality of doors in a hatchway, individual electric motors for moving said cars, a control circuit for each of said motors, a pair of interlock switches connected to each door and responsive to an open position thereof for opening the control circuits when the door is open to prevent operation of the'cars, normally open shunt control circuits around such interlock switches, a plurality of magnetizable switches disposed at each door for said shunt control circuits, an electromagnetic means disposed on each car in position to approach closely to a corresponding magnetizable switch when the car is at the door, and means operably responsive to stopping a car at a door for energizing the electromagnetic means on that car to close its corresponding magnetizable switch for completing the shunt control circuit for the other car and thereby permit operation of that other car while said first car is at said door.

CHARLES E. ELLIS, JR 

